Race simulating game having interchangeable transmission units of various speed ratios



Sept. 7, 1965 3,204,963

me GAME HAVING INTERCHANGEABLE TRANSMISSION UNITS IOS A. A. CAPUTI RACE SIMULAT OF VARIOUS SPEED RAT Filed March 4, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J2 J3 20 I a.

INVENTOR. .fi/f'fled ca ufi ATTOA NE Y3.

Sept. 7, 1965 A. A. CAPUTI RACE SIMULATING GAME HAVING INTERCHANGEABLE TRANSMISSION UNITS OF VARIOUS SPEED RATIOS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 4, 1963 INVENTOR. .fl/f'r'eo .15! Capuf/ BY ATTORNEYS:

United States Patent Office Patented Sept. 7, 1965 3,204,963 RACE SIMULATING GAME HAVING INTER- CHANGEABLE TRANSMISSION UNITS OF VARIOUS SPEED RATIOS Alfred A. Caputi, 71 Parkdale Ave, Bufialo, N.-Y. Filed Mar. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 262,456 11 Claims. (Cl. 273-86) This invention relates to a game or amusement device and more particularly to a game which simulates racing wherein a number of racing figures such as race horses or racing cars travel about a racecourse.

The present invention :comprises a game board or support surface which includes aiclosed racing course which may be of variousconfigurations such as circular, oblong, elliptical or the like. Racing figures which simulate race horses, r-acingcars or other racing'figures arecaused to move about the race course and means disposed beneath the game board orsupport surface propel the several racing figuresabout the race course.

In the form shown herein by wayofexamnle, the ropelling means beneath the game board: or support surface acts upon the racing figures magnetically through the game board or support surface .but variousother means may be employed for this purpose including direct mechanical connection between the propelling means and .the racing figures.

Speaking generally and broadly, the present invention provides propulsion'means whereby a number of .racing figures are caused. to move-about the race course at diiferent speeds and by means of an arrangement-which renders it impossible for the players to know beforehand the order in which the racing figures will finish. In the racing game arrangement of the present invention a single power source drives the various propulsion devices which activate the racing figures.

In accordance with the present invention, a number of readily removable speed changing transmission devices are provided corresponding to the number of racing figures. These transmission devices are generally enclosed and are substantially identical in external appearance and shall be referred to herein as capsules. The several capsules may readily be removed from theapparatus and reshufiled or rearranged in a random fashion so that, when replaced, each will transmit propulsionforces to one of the racing figures. However, it-will not be known to the players which of the figures is connected with each of the several transmission devices of various output ratios.

-A full understanding of the principles of operation and use of the racing game of the present invention willbe had from a consideration of the typical embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings anddescribed in detail in the following specification. However, .it isto be understood that such embodiment is by way of exam le only and the scope of the invention is not limited thereto nor otherwise than as defined in theappended claims.

Various objects andadvantages of the present invention -will appear to those skilled in the art from a perusal of the specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In .the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a general top plan view of one form of the racing game of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken approximately on the line III-HI of FIG. 2 with portions thereof shown in elevation for simplicity-of illustration;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional viewon the line IV-IV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a disassembled perspective view of a portion of thecentral hub struetureof the drive means illustrated in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational View of oneof the racing figures of the form of invention illustrated herein.

Like characters of reference denote like parts throughout the severalfigures of the drawings. It is to be under= stood that the racing game of the present invention may assume various physical forms and that the specific a1- rangernent shown in the drawings merely illustrates the general principles of the invention.

Inthe form shown'hereinlthe game comprises generally a box-like structure comprising a frame 10 which forms side and end walls and includes a bottom wall 11 and an upper panel 12 whose upper surface is marked to define an oblong racecourse 13. 'In FIG. 2 the numeral 14- designates .a racing figure shown in front edge elevation which figure may simulate arace horse or other racing figure and the lower edge of FIGURE 14-includes a permanent .magnetinsert 15. As shown in FIG. 6 magnet 15 is formed'to provide'longitudinally spaced north and south polesand a companion magnet member 16 beneath the panel 12 is similarly formed whereby the magnets cooperate to maintain thefigure 14- in a properly aligned position-with respect to the race course-13.

Theundersideof panel 12 is provided with a series of spaced parallel rails 20 which define racing lanes-of a race course comprising semi-circular end portions andconnecting straightaway portions. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower magnet members .16'are generally guided in the lanes formed by rails 20 and the manner in whie'h magnets 16 are supported will-be described later-herein.

Referring to FIG. 2, a pair of crossed metal strap members 22 and 23 are fixed to lie upon thebottom wall 11 and .a support for the driverneans of the racing game of the present invention comprises aninverted cup-shaped member 24 which is-notched at interval-s tov interlock with .the strap. members 22 and 23 to be located thereby. The numeral-26 designates a series of internal gear members which have complementary offset radial faces which interfit as clearly shown in FIG. ;2 for retaining the several interal gears in axially aligned relationship and the lowermost internalgear member 26 seats in an annular recess formed in the upper surface of cup-shaped member 24. The internal gears 26 are each grooved at t-heirou-ter periphery .to receive Vbelts 28. Referring .to FIG. 1, the numeral 30.designates.an axially aligned vertical series of idler pulleys which are supported for free rotation relative to .each otherin any desired mannerand the V belts 28extend about the internal gear members 26 and pulleys 30v to .be driven by the former in a path parallel to the paths .of the racing lanes.

Each'belt 28 has fixed thereto an arm.32 which extends perpendicularly outwardly from the belt and terminates in an upwardly extending portion 33, the magnet 16.being fixed to. ,the upper ends of the portions ,33 of arms32. From, the foregoing it will be seen'thatdriving rotation of each internalgear26. causes the; associated magnet16 to traverse adesired racing path andthe traction between them-agnets 15, and 16 causes the associating racing figure to likewise traverse. this pathin proper alignment therewlt The means for variably driving the several internal gears-26 willnowbe described. Referring to FIG. 2, a hollow drive shaft.35 is-rotata'bly support-ed atits lower end in the ,upper. wall ofv cupshaped support member 24. A 'spiraLspring 36 isattachedat-its,inner end to shaft 35 and at its outer end to cup-shaped member ,24 as at 37. A- dial plate 40 has a central ,counterbore at its'underside including keyways which engage keyst72 projecting from keyways 44in shaft 35,.as will bedescribed more fully later herein. Finger holes 45 in dial it) 40 are engaged to wind spring 36, in the present instance, in a clockwise direction.

A ratchet wheel 56 is fixed to crossed straps 22 and 23 and a pawl 51 engages the teeth of ratchet wheel 50 to prevent retrograde counterclockwise movement of shaft 35 until such movement is desired. Pawl 51 includes a stem portion 52 which is mounted in the lower end of hollow shaft 35 for radial sliding movement and is norrnally urged to the left as viewed in FIG. 4 to retain pawl 51 in engagement with the teeth of ratchet wheel 59 by a spring 54.

An enlargement 56 on stem 52 is beveled for camming engagement with a nose member 57 at the lower end of a rod 53 which extends upwardly through shaft 35. An operating knob 60 carried by dial plate 40 fits over the upper end of rod 58 and is normally held in a raised position by a spring 61. When knob 60 is depressed with spiral spring 36 in a wound condition nose 57 moves stem 52 and pawl 51 to the right as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 4 to free the shaft 35 for rotation by spring 36 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in the drawings.

Reference will now be had to readily removable and interchangeable transmission capsule of various speed change ratios which act between shaft 35 and the several internal gears 26 during an actual race period. Each capsule comprises a disk 64 having a pair of intersecting circular recesses formed in its upper face to receive, respectively, a sun gear 65 and a planet pinion 66. A cover plate 67 may be cemented or otherwise affixed to the top of each disk 64 to enclose the gear 65 and pinion 66, both of which rotate within their respective circular recesses in disk 64. Both the disk 64 and cover plate 67 may be of molded plastic material and the internal gears 26 may likewise be of molded plastic material.

All of the internal gears 26 are of the same pitch diameter and have teeth of the same size and number. All of the five spun gears 65 have different pitch diameters and numbers of teeth and the related planet pinions 66 also of course vary as to pitch diameter and number of teeth since the pitch radius of each sun gear plus the pitch diameter of the related planet pinion must equal the pitch radius of the internal gears which are all equal. Thus rotation of the five sun gears in unison rotates the five internal gears 26 at five different speeds.

Shaft 35 has opposed keyways 44 and a member designated generally by the numeral 70 in FIG. comprises a base collar 71, a pair of upstanding keys 72, and an upper connecting member 73. Base collar 71 seats upon the bearing in cup-shaped member 24 and keys 72 seat in keyways 44, projecting therefrom to enter keyw-ays formed in theseveral sun gears 65.

From the foregoing it will be seen that users of the game may lift dial 40 from its operative illustrated position, grasp the top cross member 73 of member 70 and thereby lift all of the transmission capsules out of their assembled positions in the internal gears 26. Note that the lowermost capsule disc 64 rests upon base collar 71 of member 70.

The players will then shuffie the capsules about and assemble them in a stack in random order. Since they all apnear the same externally the players will not know their sequence as far as their various speed ratios are concerned. They will then be replaced on the keys 72 of member 70 and the latter will be returned to its assembled position as shown in FIG. 2. Thereupon dial 40 may be replaced with its keyways in engagement with keys 72 and the spring 36 may be wound to any desired extent. The figures may all be aligned in a starting gate or multiple stall member 76 in registry with the several arms 32 and the race is started by pressing knob 60 to release shaft 35.

I claim:

1. In a racing game, a support surface having a closed race course at its upper surface with figures movable thereon to traverse such race course, coaxial internal gears and means extending from each of said gears to one of said figures for propelling the latter upon rotation of the former, a drive shaft extending axially through the internal gears and means for rotating the same, and a plurality of transmission devices each adapted to lie generally in the plane of and within the confines of one of said internal gears to establish driving connection between said drive shaft and such internal gear, said several transmission devices each having a central sun gear slidably keyed to said drive shaft and a planet pinion meshing with said sun gear and the related internal gear, the several pairs of sun gears and planet pinions being of different drive ratios, said internal gears being of the same pitch diameter and tooth size and said transmission devices being readily removable and interchangeable whereby the resultant speed of the several figures in any random arrangement of the transmission devices is unknown to the players of the game.

2. In a racing game, a support surface having a closed race course at its upper surface with figures movable thereon to traverse such race course, coaxial internal gears and means extending from each of said gears to one of said figures for propelling the latter upon rotation of the former, a drive shaft disposed within the internal gears and means for rotating the same, and a plurality of transmission devices each adapted to establish driving connection between said drive shaft and an internal gear, said several transmission devices each having a central sun gear slidably keyed to said drive shaft and a planet pinion meshing with said sun gear and an internal gear, the several pairs of sun gears and planet pinions being of different drive ratios, said internal gears being of the same pitch diameter and tooth size and said transmission devices being readily removable and interchangeable whereby the resultant speed of the several figures in any random arrangement of the transmission devices is unknown to the players of the game.

3. In a racing game, a support surface having a closed race course at its upper surface with figures movable thereon to traverse such race course, coaxial internal gears and means extending from each of said gears toward one of said figures for propelling the latter upon rotation of the former, a drive shaft extending Within the internal gears and means for rotating the same, and a plurality of transmission casings each adapted to lie generally in the plane of and within the confines of one of said internal gears, said several transmission casings each having a central sun gear slidably keyed to said drive shaft and a planet pinion meshing with said sun gear and the related internal gear, the several pairs of sun gears and planet pinions being of different drive ratios, said internal gears being of the same pitch diameter and tooth size and said transmission casings being readily removable and interchangeable whereby the resultant speed of the several figures in any random arrangement of the transmission casings is unknown to the players of the game.

4. In a racing game, a support surface having a closed race course at its upper surface with figures movable thereon, coaxial internal gears and means extending from each of said gears to a point beneath one of said figures, said extending means and said figures having magnetically attractive portions whereby movement of the extending means propels the figure about the race course, a drive shaft extending within the internal gears and means for rotating the same, and a plurality of transmission devices each adapted to lie generally in the plane of and within the confines of one of said internal gears to establish driving connection between said drive shaft and such internal gear, said several transmission devices each having a central sun gear slidably keyed to said drive shaft and a planet pinion meshing with said sun gear and the related internal gear, the several pairs of sun gears and planet pinions being of different drive ratios, said internal gears being of the same pitch diameter and tooth size and said transmission devices being readily removable and interchangeable whereby the resultant speed of the several figures in any random arrangement of the transmission devices is unknown to the players of the game.

5. In a racing game, a support surface having a closed race course at its upper surface with figures movable thereon to traverse such race course, coaxial internal gears and means extending from each of said gears to one of said figures for propelling the latter upon rotation of the former, a drive shaft extending axially through the internal gears and means for rotating the same, and a plurality of similar transmission devices each adapted to lie generally in the plane of and within the confines of one of said internal gears to establish driving connection between said drive shaft and such internal gear, said several transmission devices having various speed ratios as between said drive shaft and the related internal gear, said transmission devices being readily removable and interchangeable whereby the resultant speeds of the several figures in the case of any chance arrangement of the transmission devices is unknown to the players of the game.

6. In a racing game, a support surface having a closed race course at its upper surface with figures movable thereon to traverse such race course, coaxial internal gears and means extending from each of said gears to one of said figures for propelling the latter upon rotation of the former, a drive member and means for rotating the same, and a plurality of similar transmission devices each adapted to lie generally in the plane of one of said internal gears to establish driving connection between said drive member and such internal gear, said several transmission devices having various speed ratios as between said drive member and the related internal gear, said transmission devices being readily removable and interchangeable whereby the resultant speeds of the several figures in the case of any chance arrangement of the transmission devices is unknown to the players of the game.

7. In a racing game, a support surface having a closed race course at its upper surface with figures movable thereon to traverse such race course, coaxial internal gears and means thereon extending to points beneath said figures, said extending means and said figures having magnetically attractive portions whereby rotation of said gears propels the figures about the race course, a drive shaft extending within the internal gears and means for rotating the same, and a plurality of similar transmission devices each adapted to lie generally in the plane of and within the confines of one of said internal gears to establish driving connection between said drive shaft and such internal gear, said several transmission devices having various speed ratios as between said drive shaft and the related internal gear, said transmission devices being readily removable and interchangeable whereby the resul tant speeds of the several figures in the case of any chance arrangement of the transmission devices is unknown to the players of the game.

8. In a racing game, a support surface having a closed race course at its upper surface with figures movable thereon to traverse such race course, coaxial internal gears and means extending from each of said gears to one of said figures for propelling the latter upon rotation of the former, a drive shaft disposed within the internal gears and spring motor means for rotating the same, and a plurality of transmission devices each adapted to establish driving connection between said drive shaft and an internal gear, said several transmission devices each having a central sun gear slidably keyed to said drive shaft and a planet pinion meshing with said sun gear and an internal gear, the several pairs of sun gears and planet pinions being of different drive ratios, said internal gears being of the same pitch diameter and tooth size and said transmission devices being readily removable and interchangeable whereby the resultant speed of the several figures in any random arrangement of the transmission devices is unknown to the players of the game, means for manually Winding said spring motor, and selectively operable means for releasing the same to rotate said drive shaft and thus simultaneously propel the several figures.

9. In a racing game, a support surface having a closed race course at its upper Surface with figures movable thereon to traverse such race course, coaxial internal gears and means extending from each of said gears to one of said figures for propelling the latter upon rotation of the former, a drive member and spring motor means for rotating the same, and a plurality of similar transmission devices each adapted to lie generally in the plane of one of said internal gears to establish driving connection between said drive member and such internal gear, said several transmission device having various speed ratios as between said drive member and the related internal gear, said transmission devices being readily removable and interchangeable whereby the resultant speeds of the several figures in the case of any chance arrangement of the transmission devices is unknown to the players of the game, means for manually winding said spring motor, and selectively operable means for releasing the same to rotate said drive member.

10. In a racing game, a support surface having figures movable thereon, coaxial inter-rial gears and coaxial freely rotated wheel members spaced from but coplanar with the several internal gears, endless flexible member extending about each gear and its coplanar wheel member, means extending from each of said flexible members to one of said figures for propelling the latter in oblong paths having semicircular ends, a drive shaft disposed within the internal gears and means for rotating the same, and a plurality of transmission devices each adapted to establish driving connection between said drive shaft and an internal gear, said several transmission devices each having a central sun gear slidably keyed to said drive shaft and a planet pinion meshing with said sun gear and an internal gear, the several pairs of sun gears and planet pinions being of different dr-ive ratios, said internal gears being of the same pitch diameter and tooth size and said transmission devices being readily removable and interchangeable whereby the resultant speed of the several figures in any random arrangement of the transmission devices is unknown to the players of the game.

11. In a racing game, a support surface having figures movable thereon, coaxial internal gears and coaxial freely rotated wheel members spaced from but coplanar with the several internal gears, endless flexible members extending about each gear and its coplanar Wheel member, means extending from each of said flexible members to one of said figures for propelling the latter in oblong paths having semi-circular ends, a drive member and means for rotating the same, and a plurality of similar transmission devices each adapted to lie generally in the plane of one said internal gears to establish driving connection between said drive member and such internal gear, said several transmission devices having various speed ratios as between said drive member and the related internal gear, said transmission devices being readily removable and interchangeable whereby the resultant speeds of the several figures in the case of any chance arrangement of the transmission devices is unknown to the players of the game.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 820,819 5/06 Noble 273-86 1,702,291 2/29 Babbitt 273-86 1,867,237 7/ 32 Vinson 273-86 2,516,315 7/50 Hall 27386 FOREIGN PATENTS 457,362 5 5 0 Italy.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Examiner. 

6. IN A RACING GAME, A SUPPORT SURFACE HAVING A CLOSED RACE COURSE AT ITS UPER SURFACE WITH FIGURES MOVABLE THEREON TO TRAVERSE SUCH RACE COURSE, COAXIAL INTERNAL GEARS AND MEANS EXTENDING FROM EACH OF SAID GEARS TO ONE OF SAID FIGURES FOR PROPELLING THE LATTER UPON ROTATION OF THE FORMER, A DRIVE MEMBER AND MEANS FOR ROTATING THE SAME, AND A PLURALITY OF SIMILAR TRANSMISSION DEVICES EACH ADAPTED TO LIE GENERALLY IN THE PLANE OF ONE OF SAID INTERNAL GEARS TO ESTABLISH DRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID DRIVE MEMBER AND SUCH INTERNAL GEAR, SAID SEVERAL TRANSMISSION DEVICES HAVING VARIOUS SPEED RATIOS AS BETWEEN SAID DRIVE MEMBER AND THE RELATED INTERNAL GEAR, SAID TRANSMISSION DEVICES BEING READILY REMOVABLE AND INTERCHANGEABLE WHEREBY THE RESULTANT SPEEDS OF THE SEVERAL FIGURE IN THE CASE OF ANY CHANGE ARRANGEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION DEVICES IS UNKNOWN TO THE PLAYERS OF THE GAME. 